Putnam Coronavirus: Isolate, Call Contacts After Positive Test

PUTNAM COUNTY, NY — Two people died last week of COVID-19, bringing Putnam County's pandemic death toll to 66.

Putnam's coronavirus positivity rate last week was second highest in the Hudson region.

As of Friday, the county had identified 203 active cases, and there were 15 people hospitalized.

Putnam officials asked anyone who tests positive for coronavirus to stay at home and isolate from others to avoid exposure.

"It could take a few days for PCDOH to receive your positive test results, even after you received a call from your doctor. This may result in a delay in the contact tracers reaching out to your contacts," officials said Friday. "We are working through many case investigations as quickly as possible. We ask for your patience and will reach out to you as soon as we can."

Also, officials urged people who have tested positive to tell their close contacts so they can quarantine.

"Your close contacts are people you were with in the 48 hours before symptoms started or the date you were tested (whichever came first)," officials said. "Until you isolate, you continue to expose people close to you."